Raffic Ahamed’s pieces of the world

In some cases — OK, most cases — it’s good to be different. Uniqueness is what gave us the innovative minds that have changed and shaped our world.

M.G. Raffic Ahamed may not be out to change the world, but he will definitely change the way you look at it.

The collage artist once stated in the India National Newspaper that he uses his art as a tool to “nurture the aesthetic sense of the spectator,” and by doing this it will “change the mindset of people and lead them to contribute their might to society.”

Southeast Texas will soon be able to feed its need for visual appeal with “Anadam,” an exhibition that will feature Raffic’s trademark mixed media collages.

If the left-handed artist was a musician, he would be the next Jimi Hendrix. Internationally

Image courtesy of the artist

known, Raffic has participated in more than 80 exhibitions in his career.

He has received many awards in India for his work and is one of only a few Asians that has received the prominent Pollock-Krasner Foundation grant. U.S. customers are actually the most frequent buyers of his work, though he is not fully acquainted with American culture.

His collages have been described as “lyrical, seductive, and fantastical images.” Even though he lives in Marudai, one of the oldest cities in the world, the Indian artist uses a new and fresh way to examine the friction between India’s old traditional side and its new contemporary side. First he takes photographs of his subject, he disassembles the pictures and then reassembles them into scenes that he paints and connects together to make his collages. “Anadam” means “bliss,” and that is what best describes his creative method.

For example, one of the elements he has presented in his work is the image of a faceless woman. It serves as a representation of his Muslim beliefs (depicting the human body is forbidden) and the status of women in India struggling with traditional roles while trying to modernize their lives. Each unique collage uses strong earth colors and creative compositions that would catch even the least art-savvy person’s attention.

This exhibition is not just a mere art show, but a cultural event. Jessica Dandona, Director of the Dishman Art Museum, has invited campus groups from Lamar such as Friends of India to join in the festivities.

“This is an exceptional event where we are able to have an artist from another country. I think it’s important for us to understand our relationship with the larger world,” she said. “Most people do not know that Beaumont has a large Indian population as well as a large Muslim population, so I wanted an exhibition that would speak to some of the groups in our community that people are not familiar with.”

Image courtesy of the artist

And Jason Miller and Matthew Myers, hosts of 91.3 KVLU’s Space Capsule, will make a guest appearance spinning world music beats during the opening reception.

If you like what you see at the exhibition, then make time to hear the lecture that will be given by Amy Allocco, Ph.D. next Thursday Nov 4. Raffic’s “U.S. Representative” Alloco is the Assistant Professor Religious Studies at Elon University and discovered Raffic while doing fieldwork in India and will be discussing religious imagery in his work. It will be held in the Rothwell Recital Hall in the music building at Lamar.